AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID SCHAEFER
Photo Credit: Scott Teitler - https://www.scottteitler.com/
ARTIST’S HOUSE: Who is David Schaefer?
DAVID SCHAEFER: I’m a Swiss-Croatian actor, singer, songwriter, international Men’s Health cover model, and recently, motivational coach and mentor born in Basel, Switzerland.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: Can you tell us how and why you decided to become an actor?
DAVID SCHAEFER: I’ve been working a long time in the modeling industry and was looking for a new challenge in life where I can use all my experiences positively and be 100% myself . I love acting; I can play real-life characters like I did with the last WWI movie, called Eleven, written by my good friend, Rock Salt. I love inspiring people, and getting inspired and acting gives me the opportunity to do that. I always say: if I can only inspire one person, my job is done.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: How did you start your journey with music?
DAVID SCHAEFER: I sent over 50 or more emails to record labels, managements, and almost gave up. One manager called Andreas Mehlhorn—who is very famous for discovering top artists—heard my music and invited me to Cologne, Germany for a German-Disney-Pop-Band casting.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: How did you get signed to the record label Sony Music in the past?
DAVID SCHAEFER: Andreas (who discovered me) was very well-connected in the music industry; he helped us getting a record deal with Sony Music. He was, from the beginning, a great manager and mentor to us in good and bad times . He believed in us from the beginning.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: You are also a model. How did that journey start too?
DAVID SCHAEFER: I started my journey when an Austrian model scout from Vienna, Austria discovered me and helped me with a few test shootings. I sent previously, also, a lot of emails to model agencies, but got always a “no”, until I met Christian Heredia. Christian helped me traveling the world as an international model. We are still friends to this day. I’m forever grateful for his help. Without him, I wouldn’t be a model, I think. I have to name 4 people who are responsible for my career: Christian Heredia, Andreas Mehlhorn, Gottfried Heiss, and Rock Salt; my believers and mentors. God bless them.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: Which area of entertainment do you like the best? Is there a different feel to the environments in each one?
DAVID SCHAEFER: Every job is different. I think it comes down to the people you work with that can make the positive difference. I also worked in the past with people that made my life harder and put stones in my way, but you can’t please everyone. Some like you, some don’t. It’s all a lesson in the end, and we learn something out of every situation.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: We know you travel a lot. Where exactly do you travel? Which place was your favorite?
DAVID SCHAEFER: Absolutely love traveling! I lived in places like Panama, Guatemala, Mexico, Malaysia, New York, and many more. Every place is different and special, and the people are unique. I remember, for example: me in China, just arriving at the airport, 2010, and people taking pics of me like I’m some superstar, until I realized they take pics of me because they don’t see so much giants in China; I am almost 6ft5. I was always an attraction, especially in Asian countries I modeled.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: What is your advice to artists who are just starting out in the entertainment industry?
DAVID SCHAEFER: I think it’s so important to know that you will probably hear more noes than yeses. I did. Be prepared to have a really thick skin if you enter the entertainment industry. You must work very hard on your dreams and goals, and never take things personally. You must love what you do and enjoy the daily doing. Have your focus, always, on moving forward; never look back. Always improve and believe in yourself; then others will believe in you.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: If you could work alongside another actor of your choosing in a movie, who would it be and why?
DAVID SCHAEFER: I think I would love to work with Leonardo DiCaprio or Anthony Hopkins. The older actors impress me because they know the industry in and out, and I’m sure I could learn from them a lot about life, acting, and acting techniques, etc.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: Do you always get along with everyone on set?
DAVID SCHAEFER: That is a good question. Usually I get along with almost everyone on set, but I did experience some divas before. Often it’s the younger generation actors who just started—not the established ones. I think it could be more insecurity and fear instead of arrogance, then they maybe come across like divas.
I know that we are not curing cancer and that acting is a job we are lucky to do. We must appreciate every single one: from the crew, to the cast, make up, writer, director, extras, cause without them, we would not look good or have it all prepared the way it must be. Those people work very hard to make a film possible, so it’s teamwork, I learned, that really is important. Sometimes I had to jump in, even and carry the camera, or you get a call at 5 a.m.: “David, we have perfect light, I need your help.”. So yes, it’s team work .
ARTIST’S HOUSE: How do you feel watching yourself in the movies you act in?
DAVID SCHAEFER: That’s something that is a very strange and humbling feeling at the same time. I think every actor would agree. You know that often film shoots can be hectic and you have time pressure; time is money and then you might have not much time for your takes, but you know you must deliver a top performance even under time pressure. Then, you sit in the cinema at the premier and see yourself for the first time on that big screen: you are nervous to see your performance the first time and hope you did a great job. Never get used to this.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: How do you deal with emotional scenes? Are they difficult to do?
DAVID SCHAEFER: Emotional scenes can be difficult in the beginning, but after time, I personally learned how to get myself in a state that I can deliver the scene and story character believably. Acting techniques help, and also having empathy for the character and for life in general. I think the best acting school I had is called “life”: the ups and downs in my life helped me to bring any character to life.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: What kind of characters would you like to play in future movies?
DAVID SCHAEFER: I would love to play more hero roles or action roles. I played more villain roles in the past. I might be athletically built and 6ft5, but I’m actually a nice guy in real life. Clearly not a villain, lol. In the WWI Film, Eleven, I played a nice hero character which was a rewarding feeling. Thank you, Rock Salt.
ARTIST’S HOUSE: What would you like to say to your fans reading this interview? Anything else you'd like to add?
DAVID SCHAEFER: It was a pleasure answering all your questions. I wish everyone the best of luck, and always knowing to enjoy the journey is very important.
DECEMBER 2019